Folding table tray and the like with operating handle



April 3, 1962 H. HOWE 3,028,205

FOLDING TABLE TRAY AND THE LIKE WITH OPERATING HANDLE Filed July 21, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 27 /4a I 1 Z WW I T ilma P .hQqgu I fi e i a /7d 7/ /6b 5" 23a 23A "8 /6a 22 INVENTOR #42042 Home H. HOWE April 3, 1962 FOLDING TABLE TRAY AND THE LIKE WITH OPERATING HANDLE Filed July 21, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /0 wazwsw This invention relates to a folding table, tray or the like.

One application of this invention is a serving table or tray comprising, a top, and folding leg means, and a handle adapted both for carrying the structure and as the operating means by which the leg means are folded and unfolded. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated and described herein the structure may be carried by the handle with the leg means folded or unfolded;

and the legs may be folded by lifting or pulling outwardly on the handle, and unfolded by pushing in on the handle. Lifting and folding of the unfolded structure may be accomplished in a single movement if desired. The pulling action, tending to move the handle outwardly of the top, may be accomplished largely by gravity, i.e. the weight of the table when it is lifted from the fioor. The legs may be unfolded simply by pressing in on the handle while the top is held from moving in the direction of the thrust, as for example while the table edge opposite the handle is resting on the floor. In each case the operation may be accomplished with one hand.

It is an object of the invention to provide a table top or a tray or the like with folding legs and an operation handle for automatically effecting the folding and unfolding of all the legs as well as for carrying the structure, or hanging it up by this handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective means for locking the handle to prevent inadvertent folding of the legs of the structure and to add great strength when the structure is opened for use.

The invention will best be' understood if the following description is read in connection with the drawings in which,

FIGURE 1 is a rear elevation showing the under side of a table top with its lower edge resting on the floor and force being applied to a linkage to move the legs of the table to unfolded, operative position.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the legs unfolded, and a locking latch being depressed preparatory to collapsing the legs into the position shown in FIGURE 1.

' fully unfolded.

' FIGURE 4 is a perspective view partly broken away showing the under structure of a portion of the table.

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal cross-section taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 4, and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of bracket means by which the legs are connected to the operating handle.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings a top 10 has first leg means 12, comprising a pair of legs and a cross member, pivotally connected to it adjacent one end. Adjacent and extending toward the opposite end of the top is a slideway comprising the spaced apart parallel members 14a and 14b each of which is slotted longitudinally with a slots.

Depending from the top are the pivot means 16a and 16b to which links 17a and 17b are pivotally connected 3,628,295 Fatented Apr. 3, 19fi2 As shown herein the pivots p extend into the legs 18a and 18b through the portions of brackets 19!: and 19b which extend over the outer lateral surfaces of said legs respectively.

The handle 20 is a U-shaped member having the lateral extensions 20a and 20b which extend through the slots s in the slideway members 14a and 14b respectively and are connected to the legs 18a and lsb'between the top It and the pivots p. Thus when the handle is moved along the slideway provided by members 14:: and 14b the second leg means is swung on its pivot mountings.

The outer ends 1, f of 14a and 14b are bent inwardly and 7 provided with reentry slots g, g to provide guides for the arms of handle 2%).

The link means 22 interconnects the first and second leg means so that folding and unfolding movements of the second leg means are communicated to the first leg means whereby both leg means are folded and unfolded simultaneously. connected to the leg means 12 and the other end of said link means comprises two branches 23a and 23b disposed inside the slideway members 14a and 14b respectively, and each having a hole h adjacent to its outer end through which the lateral extensions 20a and 20b of handle 26 respectively extend. The legs 18a and 18b are disposed outwardly of the slideway members 14a and 14b respectively and are interconnected by a cross piece 18c. Brackets 19a and 1% are mounted on the inner surfaces of the legs 18a and 181) respectively and extend for a distance over the inner side of the cross piece and also around onto the outer lateral surfaces of said legs. The portions of said brackets which are on the inner surfaces of said legs each has the inwardly extending ears e which are apertured to receive the outer ends of handle extensions 20a and 20b respectively. The operating handle is thus connected to the legs 18a and 18b by the brackets 19:; and 1% respectively.

The handle 2% is provided with the cross bar 24, and coacts with a spring catch 26 having the enlarged head 27 and positioned on the undersurface of the top to engage the cross bar 24 when the handle has been moved inwardly along its slideway sufficiently to unfold the leg means. Thus coaction between the spring catch and the cross bar 24 serves to prevent inadvertent folding of the legs. The catch may be released by pressing it toward the top and in practice this may be done by the finger of the same hand which is grasping the handle. If desired both the folding and the unfolding of the legs may be accomplished with one hand thus leaving a persons other hand free. Thus a folding serving table or tray may be carried in one hand and unfolded in a desired position to receive a dish or other object or a tray of dishes carried by the other hand. Also if desired one may carry in the folded tray all set up and then easily unfold and lock the legs by pushing in on the handle. Or one may pick up a tray table the legs of which are unfolded and shnultaneously and with one hand release the lock and fold the legs.

The end of the operating handle is bent down to give hand room when the handle is pushed in and to enable one to carry two folded tables, top to top, in each hand and then open them all at one time in an easy and convenient manner.

There has thus been provided a structure in which the above stated objects are accomplished in a simple and practical manner.

What I claim is:

1. A folding table comprising, a top, a first pair of legs hinged to the top, a second pair of legs and bearing means carried by the legs respectively adjacent their upper ends, and support arms pivotally connected at one end to the top and pivotally connected at the other end One end of link means 22 is pivotally to the legs of said second pair of legs intermediate their ends respectively, a pair of brackets fixed to the top adjacent and normal to a margin of the top, each having a depending flange slotted with a longitudinally extending slot, a U-shaped handle-slide disposed parallel with the top with its intermediate portion projecting beyond the margin of the table to which said brackets are adjacent and with the outer end portions of its arms extending laterally through the slots in said depending flanges, respectively, into the said bearing means carried by the legs of said second pair of legs, respectively, and link means connecting the upper ends of said second pair of legs to said first pair of legs below the hinge means therefor, whereby swinging movements of the lower end of said second pair of legs induced by pulling the said U- shaped handle-slide outwardly in the slideway provided by said slotted brackets, or pushing it inwardly in the said slideway, are communicated to said first pair of legs causing said pairs of legs to be folded and unfolded simultaneously and in opposite directions.

2. The structure claimed in claim 1 in which the link means interconnecting the two pairs of legs comprises branches the outer ends of which are apertured to receive the outwardly and oppositely extending end portions of the arms of said U-shaped handle-slide, the outer ends of said branches being rotatable around the said end portions of said arms and disposed between the depending flanges of said brackets, respectively, and the bearing means carried by the legs of said second pairs of legs, respectively.

3. The structure claimed in claim 1 in which said U- sees shaped handle-slide comprises a cross piece extending between parallel portions of its arms, and a spring catch is provided on the under side of the top, engageable by said cross piece when the two pairs of legs are folded in opposite directions against the under surface of the top.

4. A folding table comprising, a top, a first pair of legs hinged to the top, a second pair of legs and means for pivotally supporting them intermediate their ends for rotation around an axis parallel to the top, a slideway on the under surface of the top, a slide reciprocable in the slideway, means interconnecting the slide and the second pair of legs above the pivotal support therefor, and means for causing said first pair of legs to fold when the slide is moved in the direction to swing the top of the second-pair of legs away from the top of the first pair of legs, and for causing said first pair of legs to unfold when the slide is moved in a direction to swing the top of the second pair of legs toward the top of the first pair of legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Pucci Mar. 8. 

